Irene James wins Islwyn for Labour

A huge turnaround in fortunes saw Labour reclaim two symbolic south Wales valleys seats in the Welsh assembly elections.

The party won back Rhondda and Islwyn, both traditional red heartlands pinched by Plaid Cymru at the inaugural 1999 poll.

Leighton Andrews ousted Geraint Davies from Rhondda while Irene James took Islwyn from Brian Hancock - with a 19.1% swing.

Mr Andrews vowed Labour "will never again take the Rhondda for granted".

Surge

It is a dramatic surge which is sure to encourage the Wales Labour Party, so disappointed by their seats' earlier loss.

Only Labour can claim to be the real party of Wales Leighton Andrews (Lab)

The constituencies - both long-held by Labour at Westminster - each went green as Plaid made remarkable gains four years ago.

Mr Andrews said the loss had been a "trauma" for his party.

But he took 14,170 (61.60%) votes against Plaid's 6,216 (27.02%) to wipe out Plaid's earlier 2,285 majority.

"This result is a tribute to a Labour party that believes in the community socialism that has marked these valleys," he said.

"Today the Labour party has demonstrated across the south Wales valleys that only Labour can claim to be the real party of Wales.

"We need to demonstrate the assembly is delivering practical solutions and better services."

Labour's revenge mission began at 0115 BST, when Islwyn became the first seat declared and Plaid's Brian Hancock became an ex-AM.

The people of Islwyn have rejected the nationalistic ideology of Plaid Cymru Irene James (Lab)

In a 19.1% swing to Labour, Irene James' majority was just over 7,000 and turnout was around 40% - down by 5.4% on the 1999 election.

Speaking triumphantly, she said: "The people of Islwyn have rejected the nationalistic ideology of Plaid Cymru...

"I will make sure they don't regret that."

Mr Hancock conceded: "It is quite an outstanding result. I wish her luck when she's just borrowing the seat I helped to create.

"The people of Islwyn have not understood that Plaid Cymru is only concerned for the people that live and work in Wales - we have no agenda for London.

"I am not gone, I'm just resting."

Strongholds

Islwyn, too, was one of the great shocks of the first assembly election.

What was regarded as another solid Labour seat in the southern valleys, it fell to Plaid Cymru.

At one time it was the constituency of former Labour party leader Neil Kinnock - known as Bedwellty when he first won it back in 1970.